Aces are very good. A lot of low scoring games. 26 teams have played one game. 15 of the 26 starting pitchers have an ERA of 3.00 or below. Only one, Edinson Volquez, who is really not an ace by any stretch of the imagination, has an ERA in double figures.
I read an account that went something like this-
Gerardo Parra went four for five. He could be a very good player to fill in for Adam Eaton. When Eaton comes back, Parra again becomes the fourth outfielder.
HOGWASH!
Does this writer read tea leaves?
He has no idea what is going to happen. He assumes Eaton will take over because of his closed mind. And he wants to spread that closed mind to other readers. BAH!
Discounting any other possibilities like Parra having a 'breakout year'
Note to self- Find another term for 'breakout year'
Or Kubel or somebody else getting hurt. Or Eaton, himself, having complications with his injury...
Bugs Bunny had it right, "What a Maroon!"
If I click on 'Live scoring' and then 'League Standings' and then start clicking each individual category...
I get miffed.
Ok I admit it, I get pissed.
When doing this, we see three different sections. VALUE/POINTS/CHANGE
Really?
And this time, my beef isn't with the word 'value'. It could be 'category' or 'subject', it really doesn't matter...
Any which way, it screams that this programmer does not play fantasy baseball.
The 'VALUE' should be replaced by 'Batting Average' or 'Home Runs' or whatever the category is...
Besides, at my age, I may go to an individual category and forget why I am there and need a reminder what I'm looking at.
I like the concept of the 'Drafter's Draft'.
Just couldn't bring myself to play in it though. I get miffed...ok, pissed enough at my own stupid lineup selections and faab pickups. The imagination runs wild in picking somebody elses team and wishing they would run their team better so that we could win the Drafters League.
We all draft and run teams because in our minds, we're a little bit better at this than others.
In this league, we are betting on who is next best from the looks of their team or reputation. Yahoo Kids and Newbies selected will be far and few between. Even if a draft is deemed a good one by these drafter of drafters, a good NFBC track record is needed to guarantee that the player knows how to run these well-drafted teams.
It should be interesting.
11 of 15 homers yesterday were solo jobs. Another thing Aces do well is limit damage....
Cabrera, Trout, and Braun, the consensus top three picks were two for 15 yesterday.
No home runs. No stolen bases.
We are all fathers at heart. We all try to 'push' the young ones to be better.
Take for instance, Jackie Bradley Jr.
His at bat was credited above all for the demise of CC Sabathia and the Yankees. It was a nice at bat, but if he had been Ryan Sweeney, the at bat would probably have been overlooked, not lauded.
It is just natural for us to assist the young.
Jarrod Saltalablahblah had three walks like Bradley Jr. and had a hit too, but hardly a mention.
It's just the way us 'Fathers' roll.
They didn't reflect it yesterday, but I really like the Mariners and Royals lineups this year.
If having enough firepower at the top of their lineups to push Seager/Montero and Hosmer/Cain to the six/seven spots in their respective lineups, those offenses could really cause a lot of headaches for opposing pitchers this year.
Speaking of lineups, it took Ron Gardenhire years, but he has finally put Joe Mauer in the proper place in the lineup.
Gardenhire has enjoyed putting ninth place hitters like Jamey Carroll or Alexi Casilla in front of Mauer in the second hole.
All this did was insure an out would be on the board when Mauer entered the batter's box. Gardenhire is finally admitting that the Twins do not have a suitable player to hit second in front of Mauer.
Most managers believe that their best hitter should hit third. With Mauer devoid of power and no suitable table setter, the realization has finally come to Gardenhire.
Mauer IS a table setter.
So, based on only on lineup position, here is my favorite lineup...
1. Trout
2. Mauer
3. Cabrera
4. Fielder
5. Bruce
6. Desmond
7. J Montero
8. Moreland
9. Infante
Most arguments would probably be made in the 2nd and 4th spots. Pedroia, Heyward and Tulo or other four's are nice in those positions too.
And even if all Yankees were all healthy, none would make this list. And, without Pedroia, no Red Sox.
I don't remember the last time that would have happened.